OSCE Centre organizes seminars on rights of accused in Turkmenistan
ASHGABAD, 11 July 2008 - International human rights standards related to the treatment of the accused from arrest to trial were the focus of a series of seminars held across Turkmenistan, the last of which ends today in Turkmenbashi.
Organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad in co-operation with Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry and National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, the two-day events held in four regional cities brought together more than 80 representatives from prosecutor's offices, judges and defense lawyers.
"In light of the current discussion on the reform of Turkmenistan's Constitution, the seminars have provided a timely occasion for reinforcing the fundamental obligation of judges to exercise their functions independently and impartially in accordance with international human rights standards and commitments," said Paul Garlick, a judge from the United Kingdom who led some of the sessions.
The seminars addressed the principles of human rights concepts covered by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, giving particular focus to its provisions relating to criminal justice processes.
Two international experts - Paul Garlick and a former Georgian prosecutor who works for the Council of Europe - held sessions on freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention, the right to fair trial and the concept of equality of arms. The seminars also included a moot court case in which participants applied the standards under discussion.
Since 2001, the OSCE Centre has organized six courses on international human rights legislation for civil servants and government representatives. The Centre plans to hold seminars on legislative processes for law-makers and follow-up events for the judiciary in the autumn.